COSMOS 1241
NORAD 12149
Payload
LEO
1981-006A
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🛰️ Orbital Parameters
Perigee
982 km
Apogee
1001 km
Inclination
65.8°
Period
104.9 min
Mean Motion
13.72232012 rev/day
TLE Epoch
2026-05-08 14:00:00 UTC
📐 Computed Orbital Characteristics
Avg. Altitude992 km
Orbital Velocity26,489 km/h
Velocity7.36 km/s
Orbital Period105 minutes
Orbits / Day13.72
Eccentricity0.0013
Semi-Major Axis7,363 km
Est. Orbital Lifetime~100–500 years
🚀 Launch & Identity
Country / Operator
🇷🇺 Russia (CIS)
Launch Date
1981-01-21
Launch Site
PKMTR
Int'l Designator
1981-006A
Object Type
Payload
RCS Size
Large (>1 m²)
📖 About This Object
COSMOS 1241 is an active satellite operated by Russia (CIS), launched on 1981-01-21 from PKMTR. With over 45 years in orbit, it has far exceeded many satellites’ design lifetimes. It orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 982 km and 1,001 km with an inclination of 65.8°. It travels at approximately 26,489 km/h (7.36 km/s), completing one full orbit every 105 minutes — that’s roughly 13.72 orbits per day. At its current altitude, the estimated orbital lifetime before atmospheric re-entry is ~100–500 years. Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1241 in real time using the latest two-line element set (TLE) data, providing live position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated continuously.
🌍 Orbit Context
COSMOS 1241 occupies the mid-LEO band between 600 and 1,000 km, where atmospheric drag is minimal but radiation exposure remains low. This altitude range balances orbital longevity (decades to centuries) with reasonable ground coverage, making it popular for remote sensing constellations, scientific instruments and weather satellites. Debris concerns are significant here because objects persist far longer than in lower orbits.
🔗 Cosmos (Military/Government) Series
This satellite carries the Cosmos designation, used by Russia (and formerly the Soviet Union) as a generic identifier for military and government spacecraft. The Cosmos series encompasses reconnaissance, signals intelligence (SIGINT), early warning, navigation, communications and scientific payloads. Many Cosmos satellites have classified missions with limited publicly available information.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
COSMOS 1241 orbits in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at altitudes between 982 km (perigee) and 1,001 km (apogee), with an average altitude of approximately 992 km. It completes one orbit every 105 minutes, travelling at approximately 26,489 km/h (16,459 mph).
COSMOS 1241 is operated by Russia (CIS). It is catalogued by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network under NORAD ID 12149. You can track COSMOS 1241 in real time on Orbital Radar’s live tracker.
COSMOS 1241 was launched on 1981-01-21 from PKMTR. At its current altitude, the estimated remaining orbital lifetime is: ~100–500 years.
Yes — Orbital Radar tracks COSMOS 1241 (NORAD ID 12149) using the latest TLE (two-line element set) data from Space-Track and CelesTrak. Open the live tracker to see its current position, altitude, speed and orbital path updated in real time.
COSMOS 1241 travels at approximately 26,489 km/h (16,459 mph) — roughly 7.36 km/s. It completes 13.72 orbits per day, meaning the crew or instruments aboard (if any) would experience approximately 27 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.